Can the travel destination app, which once flourished, make a comeback? Friend of TravelSkills Lee Foster thinks so. Lee has just released his new and improved travel content app on San Francisco, titled “SF Travel & Photo Guide.” The app is available for $3.99 through Apple and Google and has been announced on Lee’s website. Lee has also answered some questions about the app on his website. For further info on the app, contact Lee at lee@fostertravel.com.

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United controls almost three-fourths of the takeoff/landing slots at Newark Liberty International Airport. (Image: new York/New Jersey Port Authority)

One of the main reasons we’ve enjoyed lower airfares this year is the rapid growth of so-called “ultra-low-cost carriers” such as Allegiant, Frontier and Spirit, which are stealing market share from the major airlines.

To fight back, United today unveiled at new bargain-basement fare called “Basic Economy” which will will go on sale in January for spring 2017 flights.

Basic economy is a fare that’s not friendly to the business travel crowd. Why? Let me count the ways:

>Premier upgrades to Economy Plus or first class will not be available, no matter what your elite status is.

>You’ll still earn MileagePlus miles, but they will not count as Premier Qualifying Miles, segments or dollars.

>Basic economy passengers without status will be the very last passengers to board the plane. Premiers and MileagePlus credit card holders still get preferred boarding status.

>Once you’ve booked your tickets, no changes or refunds allowed at all, even with a fee.

>You can’t reserve a seat ahead of time– you’ll get your seat assignment at the gate, and will likely end up with those middle seats at the back of the plane or near the lavatory. This means that you will likely not be able to sit next your traveling companions or family members.

>A “personal item” that fits under the seat in front of you is the only carry on luggage allowed and Basic Economy passengers will not have access to overhead bin space. However, Premiers, MileagePlus credit card holders or Star Alliance Gold members are exempt from this rule and are allowed a full-size carry on. (How this will be enforced is still a little murky to me, so time will tell how this part plays out.) Checked baggage fees will be the same as for other economy passengers.

>Delta’s basic economy fares have been in place since 2012- here are details about that. United’s basic economy fare is almost an exact copy– the primary difference being that on Delta, basic economy passengers do have access to overhead bin space.

Access to overhead bin space? Not with a basic economy fare! (Chris McGinnis)

When the new fares kick in this winter, United will have five fare levels to choose from: Basic economy, standard economy, Economy Plus, First and Polaris. A spokesperson told TravelSkills that the fares would be available in all markets, not just those where United competes with ULCCs, but would not reveal how much cheaper these fares would be compared to standard economy fares.

Over the last few years ultra-low-cost carriers (ULCCs) have spread their wings all over the country offering ultra-low fares packed with ultra-high fees. For example, I’ve been monitoring fares between San Francisco and Atlanta for the last few months, and Frontier has offered crazy-low round-trip fares as low as $127 on the transcon route. A few weeks ago, a reader emailed me about the $24 one-way fare he got between SFO and Phoenix. Allegiant entered the Oakland-Las Vegas market earlier this year with $59 roundtrips.

These are indeed good deals, but if you want to carry on a bag, book a seat in advance, or get a seat with humane legroom, you’ll end up paying at least twice that much, if not more. In addition, most ultra-low-cost carriers only have one or two flights per day on many routes– if you miss you plane, or if there’s a mechanical, you are stuck.

For a business traveler, a basic economy fare or a flight on a ULCC might work for a short haul day-trip, like San Francisco to Los Angeles or Chicago to Minneapolis, but not much more than that.

My eyes roll and I sigh every time I see a study or opinion about “the best day” to shop for low airfares. Gimme a break!

For many years, Tuesday was supposedly the “best day” for airfare shopping. A recent study shows that weekends, especially Sundays can be even better. I’ve heard some people advise staying up until 1 a.m. on Wednesdays. According to some experts, you should buy your ticket 42 days ahead of time. Oh, wait, the latest study says 57 days.

That advice is even more bogus as peak summer travel season approaches— a time when all “rules” get thrown out the window. (Peak summer season this year starts about June 15 and ends around August 21.)

The fact is that there is no “best day” for buying airlines tickets because each traveler and trip is different.

July 4 is on a Monday this year. Cavallo Point in Marin County, CA (Photo Chris McGinnis)

One bit of good news right now? Airfares are trending down due to lower fuel prices and overcapacity. But don’t think you are going to find any real bargains if you are planning to travel in July or August this year. While fares will probably be about the same or slightly lower than last summer, they are still painfully high during summer season and this year will be no different. (For example, I just booked a midweek trip from SFO to New York City- to get the nonstops and time that worked for my schedule, my client is paying a whopping $740! Ouch!)

The best time to find true fare deals is during slower fall “shoulder” season and airlines roll out deals to help keep all those seats full. Fall is one of the best times of year for those with schedule flexibility to troll for last minute fare deals– or last minute “deals” on frequent flyer mile redemptions. Fall shoulder season begins the week after Labor Day.

Here are 6 steps to remember when fare shopping:

1) Determine the “going rate” for the trip on the dates that work best for you– and keep in mind that Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays are generally the cheapest days for flying. Shop for fares on your airline of choice and also on fare comparison or shopping sites (my favorite is the ITA Matrix, but it’s kinda geeky). Google’s Flight Search tool is great for a cursory glance. And don’t forget to check Southwest.com since Southwest fares don’t show up on most comparison sites.

2) Factor in fluctuations in demand for your target price. For example, you won’t find that $300 transcontinental round trip in July or August…but you might find it during the slower fall months, or dead weeks of early January. You’ll likely find decent summer fare to Europe in September… but feggedaboutit in July or August. Subscribe to blogs like TravelSkills or follow our Facebook & Twitter feeds to stay on top of periodic fare sales.

3) Set up fare alerts for price drops— fare shopping sites such as AirFareWatchDog, Kayak, Hipmunk, FareCompare or major online travel agencies will do this for you. Based on your research of the “going rate” set a fare level that feels comfortable for you (based on demand), and you’ll get an email if the fare drops below that. Don’t forget to include all the airports near your destination– some can be significantly cheaper than others (such as Oakland instead of SFO, or Long Beach instead of LAX).

When was the last time you had an empty seat next to you? (Chris McGinnis)

4) Once you see a fare that fits into your budget and timeframe, BUY IT. Feel good knowing that you snagged a good seat on a convenient flight at a reasonable price. Don’t sweat it. By waiting, you’d likely not find the most convenient flight for you. Convenience is worth paying for.

5) Monitor for fare drops during the 24-hour grace period you have for canceling reservations without penalty. In the rare case that you find a lower fare within 24 hours, cancel your original reservation without penalty, rebook, and repeat. (Tip: Clear your cookies before doing another search.)

Are fares going up or coming down? Well, it depends. During the current slow winter season we’ve reported on plenty of rock bottom sale fares, such as $338 round trip from California to Hawaii, our special $499 deal between SFO & Seoul, roundtrips between Las Vegas and other western cities for less than $100, transcons between New York and California below $300 round trip, and introductory round trips to Denver for $139 and more. This week, SAS came out with a crazy $99 introductory one-way fare between Los Angeles and Stockholm (for flights between March 14-25 only).

But then there’s this headline: last week airlines successfully raised fares for the third time so far this year. Southwest initiated the $10 hike on Friday, and it was soon matched by Delta, United and American. If it sticks, as it seems to be doing, base fares will have risen $22 roundtrip since the beginning of this year.

What gives? Fare hikes are happening on routes where the major airlines don’t compete with the newly rowdy “ultra low cost” crowd– mostly to/from small and medium sized cities where there is not much competition. But they are discounting fares on those where there is low-fare competition. Airlines such as Spirit and Frontier in the US or Norwegian Air and Wow Air in Europe are leading the discounts.

Tip: If you are looking for a low fare for a quick trip, your first step should be to take a look at the flight maps from ultra-low cost carriers. When you see a city pair and a fare that appeals to you, head to the major airline websites to see if they are matching it. Above, see Spirit Air’s map. Below is Frontier’s. Click on the images for links to interactive maps. That’s where the low fare action is happening. Elsewhere, you’ll likely find fares that are the same or slightly higher than before.

Editor Chris McGinnis

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